SOMETHING SWEET FOR YOUR SWEETIE

I still haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do for the boy for Valentine's Day this year, but I have been searching for a recipe to inspire me. Here is the perfect dessert to make via Sprinkle Bakes. I'm not too experienced with triple layers or creating shapes for that matter, but this recipe seems to be a piece of cake (pun intended). The only thing I'm not so sure about is the crumb coating, however, I love the effect. Plus, red velvet cake can often be entirely to sweet, so I think this coating will help balance it out a bit.

Heritage Red Velvet Cake

Cake:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 1/2 tbsp liquid red food coloring

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cider vinegar

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour 2 or 3 round 9" cake pans. Sift flour and salt together, set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each addition. Add the flour mixture to the bowl alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Blend in vanilla.

In a small bowl, mix the 1 1/2 tbsp red food coloring and 1 tbsp cocoa powder until a paste forms. Add to the sugar and butter mixture. Mix well. In a small bowl, stir together the baking soda and cider vinegar. This will foam and should be put into the batter immediately after well mixed. After adding the foam mixture, blend on medium-high speed until batter is consistent.

Spoon batter evenly into pans- batter will be very thick! Level top of batter with an offset spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cake springs back when pressed in the center. Turn out on wire racks and cool completely.

Cream cheese frosting:

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

4-5 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. With the mixer on low, gradually pour in the confectioner's sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy. If mixture is too thick, add a little milk to thin it. If it is too thin, add additional powdered sugar or put in the refrigerator to firm up.

*If carving cake and coating with crumbs, be sure to put the crumbs on when the icing is fresh and still sticky.

For more tips on how to make this check out Heather's blog.

-xx

JQ